Indeed he said he didn't want to be an actor; his ideal was to appear in white gloves.

Each day brought new bickerings.
They made cuts despite my wishes; they left me at the mercy of the insubordination and rudeness of the stage manager and the ballet master, who would not listen to my most modest suggestions.

I had to pay the cost of extra musicians in the wings myself.

Some stage settings which I wanted for the prologue were declared impossible--I have seen them since in the _Tales of Hoffman_.
Furthermore, the orchestra was very ordinary.

There had to be numerous rehearsals which they did not refuse me, but they took advantage of them to spread the report that my music was unplayable.